


25 Days to Christmas

by shyna



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: 25 Days of Christmas Prompt Challenge, Baking, Domestic Fluff, First Christmas, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:01:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27835687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shyna/pseuds/shyna
Summary: my collection of 25 Days to Christmas prompts as listed on my tumblr! @shyna-io
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. candy cane kisses

The scent of gingerbread blanketed the lingering vanilla from the candle that Steve had lit before going out and wafted out into the hallway. Distant crackling and cheery music could be heard from a distance, and Steve had no doubt that Bucky was once again baking up a storm. 

It was one of the gifts of living in the 21st century—modern appliances that allowed them to cook up anything they could think up, enough money to maintain their experiments, and still having enough time to lounge in each other’s arms on a sofa that wasn’t poorly patched up and lumpy in places. Bucky had immediately taken to baking when Sam bought him a cookbook his first Christmas back, and needless to say, the rest of the Avengers received mysteriously delivered baked goods for the subsequent weeks. 

Steve personally loved it. Knowing Bucky had a hobby to occupy him while he was on a mission was a comforting thought, even if it meant he had to ingest a footless macron or two on occasion. 

Steve set the groceries down by the door and tip-toed down the hallway and through the living room until he could catch glimpses of Bucky prancing around the kitchen, a ridiculously frilly apron tied around his waist. It was stained with what remained of the candy canes that Steve had lovingly melted for Bucky’s latest invention before he sent him out to get more, peppermint broken glass shards for a peppermint cake.

The stray hook of a candy cane bobbed in and out of Bucky’s mouth as he rhythmically walked back and forth between the pot on the stove and the peppermint in the freezer. Steve stood and admired him for a while, reminded of how keen Bucky used to be about working in the kitchen for Sarah before the war. 

“You got my candy canes or you just gonna keep hanging out there, punk?” Steve snapped out of his trance and went red. 

“Oh—uhm, yeah, they’re back by the door, I’ll just go—” Steve began walking backward and bumped into a wall on the way, hastily grabbing the grocery bags in one hand and fishing out the candy canes with the other. Bucky snatched them out and grinned around his candy cane. Steve smiled and leaned on the counter.

“What else you got goin’ on in here?” He usually wasn’t allowed in the kitchen when Bucky was experimenting. 

Bucky stepped in front of the stove defensively, “Nothin’ special, you know you’re not allowed in here when I’m cookin’.” Steve stepped forward playfully, toe to toe with Bucky. 

“C’mon, Buck, lemme see!” He reached over Bucky’s shoulder and grabbed the spatula resting on the counter, holding it above his head. Bucky hummed in protest from where the candy cane was placed back in his mouth. With both hands free, he practically attempted to climb Steve, one hand on his shoulder while his feet scrabbled for purchase on his ridiculously thick thighs. 

“Gib’ it back, you fucker!” Steve laughed as the candy cane fell to the ground and continued to pull the utensil away from Bucky’s grabby hands, but stumbled back when a foot pushed against his knee, sending him crashing backwards into the counter and effectively making him drop the spatula in the process. 

Bucky gripped tight on his shoulder and the arm holding the spatula and let out a shout as Steve went down, finding them face to face once they settled. For a moment, they stared intensely into each others’ eyes, Bucky’s minty breath mingling with Steve’s. 

Tentatively, Bucky’s eyes flickered down to Steve’s plush lips and held their focus as he leaned forward, as if he was asking permission. Steve stayed put, eyes wide in anticipation but fluttering closed when plush lips pressed against his. The pot on the stove bubbled dangerously, but both were blushing from head to toe and too scared to pull away first.

Cautiously, Bucky brought his shaky hands to cradle Steve’s face as he attempted to deepen the kiss, licking across his lips. Steve sighed into the kiss, parting his lips and kissing back with more confidence while reaching up to hold Bucky’s warm face. Their noses bumped together, each huffing out a laugh before pulling back to admire the other. 

“You taste minty,” Steve breathed quietly, afraid to break the pleasant calm that fell over the two. 

Bucky propped himself up on his forearms and looked at Steve fondly, “You’re a twat. My candy’s gonna be all burnt because of you.”

“That’s why I went and got extra, isn’t it? Just lie with me, please?” 

Bucky smirked and pressed a kiss to Steve’s chin before resituating himself by the now ruined pot of candy, smiling when Steve slinked his arms around his waist and pressed soft, minty kisses to his pink cheeks. 

“Love you,” he whispered. It lingered in the air for a moment before Steve buried his face in Bucky’s neck, arms tightening around his slim waist, and whispered back a watery “Love you, too, Buck.”


	2. cuddles during a power outage

Steve was roused awake by a shuffling in his room and peeked an eye open when the door creaked. The floorboards squealed as a figure moved across them, the noises growing louder as the figure drew nearer. He called out blearily. 

“Buck? Issat you?” He instinctively shifted to one side of the bed and pulled the blanket off the other in invitation. The dip of the bed signaled Steve to wrap his arms around the shaking figure, pulling him to his warm chest. 

“What’s going on, Buck?” Steve asked once he was more awake. Bucky shuffled further back into Steve’s chest, cold feet tucked between Steve’s sweatpant clad legs. 

“Lights wen’ out,” he let out, barely above a whisper. Steve tutted, smoothing his arms over Bucky’s forearms and resting his chin atop his head. If they were any closer, it’d be a misdemeanor. 

Ever since they’d traced Bucky to that unlivable apartment in Bucharest, Steve was trying to follow the others’ advice and let him come out of his shell on his own. Stark’s solution was to give him the room down the hall on Steve’s floor so he’d be with someone he knew, and for a long while, Steve thought it was a good idea. Bucky never objected and kind of... went where and did what he was told, which was worrying enough for Banner, but without any other signs of the Soldier, he’d cleared Bucky to stay in the tower. 

It wasn’t an entirely great idea. Most of the week Bucky spent in his room, coming out only to go to the library or the gym to spar with Nat. Never did Steve think he’d come into his room, let alone let himself be held this closely. 

“You always were a chicken when it came to the dark, huh?” Steve reminisced fondly. Bucky huffed. 

“You were always hankerin’ for some fella to snap your cap at. I... stayed out late at the docks so you could skip work that day…” Bucky whispered as if trying to convince himself. Steve inhaled sharply, feeling a prick in his eyes.    
  


“Yeah... yeah you did, Buck. You remember that?” Bucky shrugs. “Sounds right, don’ it?” Steve sighed. 

“I guess it does, Buck.” They both sat in a comfortable silence, unable to sleep. To Steve’s surprise, Bucky was the one to break the silence. 

“I... know how hard it is for you. Me completely shutting you out, I mean. It’s just... every time I see you... I remember something. That’s what ‘m usually doing. Trying to get all my thoughts down before- before they put me back to sleep.” 

Steve’s stomach twisted, “Don’t worry, Buck, I won’t let ‘em put you to sleep. You can stay here with me, if you want. Like we used to every winter.” Bucky snorted. 

“Hell, nearly kicked you offa’ the bed a couple times,” Bucky breathed out with a chuckle. His metal arm came up to grip Steve’s finger, grounding. 

“Yeah, Buck. ‘Member that winter when the heating was out? Fuckin’ landlord was workin’ on it for weeks. When it was late, you… you used to come into my bed, just like this.” Steve gripped him tighter. Bucky tensed.

“I… I wish I could. I really do, Steve. And I know that- that you won’t let me forget again, right?” Bucky let out a sigh, voice wavering.

Steve pressed a kiss behind his ear. 

“Yeah, honey. I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.”


	3. giving gifts

Bucky trailed behind a much too optimistic Steve into the Avengers common area. Their Christmas tradition every year was to gather in the common room and exchange awful gifts before Christmas, as organized by Tony. 

It was the only holiday that Steve looked forward to ever since he came out of the ice, considering he never gave anybody a bad present, and especially so since it was his first Christmas with Bucky back. 

“Well, if it isn’t Robo-cop and his better half,” Sam said as Steve bounded into the room followed by a frazzled and shirtless Bucky, sketchbook in hand. Bucky flipped him off half-heartedly and waited until Steve sat down to plant himself on his lap. 

“Don’ know why you fuckers are up so early. ‘S not even Christmas yet.” Bucky ducked down into Steve’s neck, trying to drift back into sleep. 

“Wake the hell up Barnes, someone actually convinced me to buy you a gift.” Bucky stuck out his arm, making a grabbing gesture until a weight dropped into his hand. Steve tutted. 

“Bucky! Be nice.” Bucky groaned and mumbled out a ‘thank you,’ glaring at Sam when he heard a patronizing ‘aww.’ 

“Don’t expect me to get any of you gifts. ‘Cept you, Stevie,” Bucky mumbled that last part, caressing Steve’s faint stubble. 

The rest of the Avengers spent the morning exchanging gifts with each other, most ending in loud exclamations of disgust (when Clint gave Natasha his latest kill and was subsequently kicked off of his perch) and delight (when Bruce permitted Thor  _ one  _ trip into his lab). 

Steve was radiating excitement when it came for him to give his gifts. He flipped open his sketchbook and started ripping out pages covered in various watercolors, charcoal, and paints and bashfully handed them out to everyone. Bucky grumbled at the overwhelming amount of cheer in the room, and fucked off to the kitchen for some breakfast. 

Later in the evening, Steve came out of the shower with a towel draped on his head and loosely tied around his waist, startled when he saw Bucky perched on the edge. 

“Fuckin’ Christ, Buck, nearly gave me a heart attack. Everything okay?” Bucky nodded, looking down at his hands. Steve carried on as usual, grabbing clothes out of various drawers and shamelessly slinging off his towel. 

Bucky shrugged. “Wanted to give you my gift,” he said and placed a worn, leather-bound book on the bed. Steve paused and looked at the journal. 

“Is- is that the-“ 

“Same one from Bucharest? Yep. I’ve been trying to… collect my thoughts. Everything I know is in that journal, and I know how much it hurt you when I started hiding from you. I remember how… close we used to be. So I want you to have it.” 

Steve pulled the towel off his head and scrubbed it across his face, attempting to hide the tears that were welling in his eyes. Bucky snorted. 

“Don’t get too emotional. My handwriting is probably too messy to make out anything, anyway.” Steve huffed out a laugh and pulled Bucky into a tight embrace. 

“Y’know, I got you something too. I wasn’t sure if you’d be ready for it, but I think now is a better time than any.” Steve walked over to his drawers and pulled out a rolled-up sock, walking back to the bed. 

“Great job wrapping it.” Steve bumped Bucky’s shoulder, “Open it, smartass.” 

Bucky unfurled the sock and out fell a tangle of chains and metal. He picked them up and inspected them closely. One read ‘Steven G. Rogers,” and the other read ‘James B. Barnes.’ 

Steve leaned over. “They kept them at the museum. Tony convinced them to let me take ‘em.” 

Bucky untangled the tags as fast as he could with his shaky hands and pulled Steve’s dog tags around his neck, placing his in Steve’s open palm before pulling him into another hug. 

“Thank you,” he whispered.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading everybody! my tumblr is open for stucky, starker, from howney, and evanstan requests @shyna-io! <3


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